In this book, the story of Miss Muffet is re-done as a musical…and the drama is HIGH. The characters include a pushy mother, an entomologist father, an ambitious fiddler (Miss M. herself), Bo-Peep (yes, her), a talking spider, and many more familiar friends. They whisk us away on a fantastic quest and change everything we though we knew about the timid heroine.

There could not have been a better illustrator for this complex tale than David Litchfield. I’m a HUGE fan of his debut picture book The Bear and The Piano, and this maintains his reputation for gorgeous, light-filled spreads, lovable characters, and the perfect mix of textures. Look closely at the cover, and you can even see his signature curtains framing the scene.

Chickadee Lit

I write about reading for families and children. You can make storytime spectacular with my reviews of children's literature; expert techniques for raising readers; book lists for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and big kids; and more.